WISHED TO DIE TOGETHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

WISHED TO DIE TOGETHER.

AFFAIR IN LONDON HOTEL. ITALIAN COUPLE FOUND SHOT. • The West End of London has recently ■ been the scene of a terrible love drama, I as the result of which a young couple ; were taken in a critical condition to St. i Thomas's Hospital. The victims are of ' Italian nationality, and they are described as follows :—" Arnoldo Stretti, aged 25, a I solicitor, and his wife, Erminia Stretti, who, it is suggested, may have formerly . been known by the name of Corelli. There ; is, however, considerable mystery attach- ( ing to the identity of the pair. '.' It is , thought that they may have come from i Naples on a holiday tour, probably on ; their honeymoon, and it i.> suggested that they arrived in England as the result of a , runaway match brought about in romantic circumstances. The girl had declined, despite her injury, to furnish' any information to the authorities. They had, she declared, no relatives or friends, and about tho antecedents of the man and herself she would volunteer nothing beyond the statement that after their arrival .'in' London they stayed at a private house' in "a street somewhat near Victoria station.,. But.she could not remember the.'iiame of the thoroughfare. She is a pretty girl,' a round face dark-brown eyes and black hair. The man is a few inches taller than she. and ho is not above the average height Spare in build, he is cleanshaven, lias piercing black eyes and raven black hair, his Jongish face being of a sallow hue. Some days previous to the affair they presented themselves at the Berkeley Hotel, , in Piccadilly. Having introduced themreives to the booking office clerk, they were allotted a room on the second floor. Jt was in this room that the grim drama oow recorded occurred. Throughout their ttay there had been no sign of any. unpleasantness between. the couple.' ■ They sewed to be happy in each other's company, and there was not the slightest' bint thai, anything untoward was about to happen to the nair. They retired to their room as usual, and the night passed without incident. At between sevon and eight o'clock* in the morning, however, a strange report, followed almost immediately by a second "was heard. At the time "of the first report the chambermaid in charge of the floor thought that it was just the slamming" of a door blown to by a draught. Even tho second report did not raise her suspicions, and it was not until a shrill scream was heard, that she thought it well to investigate, and used a key which admitted her to the locked room. It was an aw.tyl sight that met her gaze. 'Hie young couple were bleeding from shot wounds, fho man being injured in the 1.-ft side near the heart and the girl in the right breast, and they were apparently locked together in a dying embrace. The man had his wife clasped tightly in his I arms, and in one of his hands he held a photograph of the woman. This, in his vrithing agony, he held on to with the g»wteft determination, and now and then prised it to his lips. The chambermaid endeavoured to part the couple, and at the same time shouted for assistance. Tho chambermaid, recovering from the shock, immediately communicated with the manager, and the latter summoned two doctors. These' at once realised that the condition of the injured people was serious, and c surgeon w<w called into consultation. It was then decided that the woman .shrjiVl be removed to St. Thomas's Hospital. A horsed ambulance was therefore chartered, and, as it was drawn into the private yard at the back of the hotel, a small crowd of persons engaged in the locality gathered together to witness her departure. As she was tenderly carried down the staircase on an ambulance those present looked silently en. It was not until three hours later thai, her husband was removed. As he. too, was carried to the conveyance fie still clutched in his hand the photograph of his wife. Attempts to take it front his had proved futile. It is understood that, some letters were left behind eddressed to the manager of the hotel and to the chief of the police, which throw a good deal of light on the condition of the young couple's financial affairs, and also as to the reason which led to the terrible affair. One missive is said to have given instructions as to tho disposal of the man's property, and requested that they should be buried together. Directly the tragic occurrence was reported to the police a number of officers were engaged in the investigation of the mysterious affair. They at one© took possession of an automatic pistol, a nickel-plated up-to-date weapon of foreign manufacture, contained in a brown leather case, which was found on the floor of the room. Among the property belonging to the eouplo was a quantity of socialistic literature and several bottles, believed to contain a variety of poisons. It may be that the man's name, though commencing with the same initials as that given above, was an altogether different one,